The women’s tennis team has certainly started off its spring season with an ace as the Raiders improved their record to 4-0 last weekend with wins over Marist and St. Bonaventure.

On Saturday, the women traveled to Marist and came away with 4-3 victory. In doubles action, the first doubles tandem of sophomores Elise DeRose and Samantha Inacker crushed their opponents, 8-2. The third doubles match proved to be just as critical for a victory, as junior Erin Fenn and sophomore Jackie Stimmel pulled out a 9-7 win, giving the Raiders the crucial doubles point.

By splitting the singles matches with the Red Foxes, the Raiders secured the win. At first singles, DeRose played a terrific match to defeat Christine Ong, who used to play number one singles for Patriot League foe and current league champion Army. DeRose used her strong baseline game to wear down Ong, defeating her in two tight sets, 7-5, 6-4. Inacker dominated as usual by crushing her opponent, 6-3, 6-0. The decisive victory for Colgate came from first-year Isabel Reimer, who showed nerves of steel in her first-ever college match by winning 6-2, 7-5.

The women continued their strong play on Sunday, as they trounced St. Bonaventure, 6-1. The Raiders played great doubles again, sweeping all three matches. They are now 11-1 in doubles this season.

In singles action, the Raiders picked up straight set victories from five different players. The great chemistry between doubles partners, Fenn and Stimmel, carried over into their singles matches, as both of them defeated their opponents with identical scores of 6-2, 6-3 at the fifth and sixth spots, respectively. Inacker used her monstrous serves and great variety to defeat Anna Pervenzetseva at second singles 6-0, 6-4. Reimer again showed she belonged on the big stage by easily defeating her opponent, 6-3, 6-0. DeRose also played well, defeating Yolanda Callagan with matching 6-2 sets. The sophomore remains undefeated in both singles and doubles this spring.

The men were also in action last weekend, as they played their home opener against the University of Buffalo in front of an animated crowd on Saturday. Unfortunately, the men could not translate the rowdy fan support into a victory, as the Raiders fell to the Bulls, 5-2. The Raiders played well in doubles, but Buffalo narrowly escaped with the doubles point by winning the first and second doubles matches. The number one tandem of senior Tyler Deck and junior Martin MacIntyre lost 8-6 while the second doubles team of sophomores John Nogueras and Michael Yassky also fell 9-7. The third doubles team of first-years Phil Bernasek and Ruslan Goussuantnikov gave Colgate its lone doubles victory, defeating Alexis Luis and Octavian Stane, 8-6.

Colgate picked up singles victories at the first and fifth spots. MacIntyre defeated Marcelo Mazzato 6-3, 7-5. Yassky continued his stellar play, as he won his fifth straight singles match, preserving his undefeated record by triumphing over Buffalo’s Alexis Luis 6-3, 6-4. In his singles debut this season, senior Sam Jacobson lost in two tight sets to Ezra Bernstein at the sixth singles spot.

The women will look to continue their stellar early spring season play this Saturday when they take on Siena at Sanford Fieldhouse. Then, on Sunday come out to support both squads when they face off against the University of Rochester at home.